Adult Braces Update #1: The First Months

I’ve had my ceramic braces for about two months now . You can read about why I decided to get braces here. In this update, I’ll talk about the process of getting adult braces and how I handle my braces.

For me, getting adult braces actually started two weeks prior to my appointment. I went in to get molds done and spacers (a little rubber band that gets put in between teeth to make more space) put in on one side because I had to get bands on my back teeth on the right side. Bands are pretty much a metal ring that goes around a tooth and acts as an anchor for the braces. I especially needed them because one tooth has a crown and the other has a large filling. Let me tell you, getting the spacers put in hurt. To date, the spacers where the most painful thing about braces. Nearly every tooth on my right side hurt/was sensitive. Not the way I wanted to spend the last two weeks bracket-free.

The actual process of getting braces wasn’t that bad. It was awkward, sure, but it didn’t hurt. It took about 2 hours all together and I was on my way.

Then it was time to get used to my ceramic braces. That first week was probably the worst. My top lip pretty much sat on wire/brackets and it felt like I couldn’t close my mouth all the way. You can see my feelings about those first two weeks in this post. Honestly, I didn’t have much pain, just so much awkwardness. And any pain I did have was taken care of with an ibuprofen. While my teeth didn’t hurt too much, the soft tissue of my mouth was a different story. I made use of wax quite a bit, especially on my back brackets because those don’t lie flat. My other problem area was actually the brackets on my canines. I’ll eventually need rubber bands so most of my brackets have a little hook on the top where those will attach. For whatever reason, the ones on my canines really rubbed my inside lip. But as I said, using the dental wax made it much more comfortable. I usually just used it at night, but there were a few times I used it during the day that first week.

I am now on my second set of braces, so I’ll explain how they were different below.

Braces Set 1

The first set of braces includes a light wire. Mine didn’t go all the way back to my back teeth, leaving those free of the wire. This set was to do the basic straightening of my teeth. I honestly didn’t even realize it was doing anything until I went in for my next appointment and realized that my two front teeth were in line with all the others (I’ve always had a bit of an overbite). I wore this set for a total of 8 weeks.

Braces Set 2

This is the set I’m currently on. My top teeth were upgraded to a heavier wire and it now connects all the teeth on the top. Unfortunately, I had a tooth on the bottom that didn’t straighten out as expected, so I still have the light wire on the bottom. The only upgrade I got there was a wire “band” on the uncooperative tooth. So what that means instead of a rubber band like normal, the bracket on that tooth is wrapped in wire to try and get it to straighten out. I will say this set made my actual teeth hurt. Between the uncooperative tooth on the bottom being forced to turn and then the back molars on the top being shifted around, my teeth hurt for at least four days. I’m scheduled to wear this set for 6 weeks.

There you have it! My first official update on my adult ceramic braces. Is there anything that you want to hear more about next time?